Muslims, Christians insecure under BJP rule: Muslim board

Lucknow: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Sunday hit out at the Modi government saying both Muslims and Christians were insecure under the BJP-led dispensation, and passed a resolution to launch a parallel campaign to counter ‘ghar wapsi’ and ‘love jihad’ propaganda of the RSS and its affiliates.

“We’re concerned about the situation in the country which has worsened after Narendra Modi became PM. Not only Muslims, but Christians are also feeling uncomfortable,” the board assistant general secretary Abdul Rahim Qureshi said at a press conference at the end of its two-day convention in Jaipur.

The board also said that right-wing forces have become “active against the minorities after the formation of new government at the Centre”.

“The resolution was passed by the board members in the national convention which seeks support of people against the conspiracy of Hindu organizations like the RSS to take the country in direction of fascist state from a secular democracy,” Qureshi said. “Hindutva forces are encouraged and have become more active after the formation of the NDA,” he added.

“RSS and VHP spit venom not only against Muslims but Christians also. This is a conspiracy to divide sections of society and we have sought support of all the Muslims as well as Hindus against the propaganda in the resolution,” he said. If the right wing forces persisted with their agenda against the minorities, it will result in “anarchy” in the country, he said.

The board denied reports of a meeting between its president, Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadwi, and PM Narendra Modi, as claimed by Zafar Sareshwala, a Modi supporter, before the media, reported Times of India.

In fact Sareshwala, who appeared at the AIMPLB meeting, was asked to leave the venue as he wasn’t a board member, with a host of members objecting to chairman, Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadvi. After all non-members of the board were asked to leave, Zafar Sareshwala too made a hasty exit.

“We’ve to ensure that organizations trying to divide us are kept at bay and the board should be prepared to counter any effort to disturb the peace of the country,” said Maulana Nadvi.

AIMPLB general secretary Maulana Nizamuddin said a resolution has been passed to activate constitutional rights protection committee under the AIMPLB led by its secretary Maulana Mohammed Wali Rehman of Munger (Bihar) to counter ‘ghar wapsi’.